


It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

by knitekat



Category: Primeval
Genre: Boys Will Be Boys, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-05
Updated: 2014-05-05
Packaged: 2018-01-22 02:36:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1573019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knitekat/pseuds/knitekat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan has to give his report of the latest anomaly to Lester, while attempting to conceal a few details.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fredbassett](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fredbassett/gifts).



> For my bingo card (and yay I have a line). 
> 
> Thanks go to Fififolle for the beta.

Captain Tom Ryan stood to attention before Sir James Lester's desk and waited for the man to finish reading his report from the last anomaly incursion, listening to Lester sigh and tut over it. Ryan shifted his weight slightly as he waited for Lester to speak, his gaze flicking to the clock to find 30 minutes had passed since he'd entered the office.

“Am I keeping you from something important, Captain?” Lester's drawl brought Ryan's attention back to his boss. 

“No, sir.” 

Lester sighed again as he put the report down and steepled his fingers. “Would you like to explain to me what the hell happened?”

“Sir?” Ryan had the horrible suspicion Lester knew exactly what had happened, even though he'd skimmed over precisely how they'd returned the creatures to the anomaly in his report. However, on the off chance that Lester was just fishing for information, Ryan wasn't going to mention it unless Lester did. There was no need to go looking for trouble, after all, not when he had the lads to cause it. 

Lester leaned back in his chair and considered Ryan for a moment before nodding. “Fine, Captain. Give me your report.” 

Ryan's eyes flickered guiltily to the report on Lester's desk before he snapped his attention back to Lester, hoping he hadn't noticed. “Of course, sir.” Ryan paused to gather his thoughts and opened his mouth to start his report. 

Lester raised a hand. “At ease, Captain.”

“Yes, sir.” Ryan nodded and relaxed slightly before beginning to speak. “I was in my office organising the shift...” Ryan trailed off when Lester sighed again. “Sir?”

“At the anomaly, Ryan.”

Ryan's eyes widened fractionally at the use of his name without his rank, something Lester had never done before at work. He nodded before continuing, “Sorry, sir. My men set up the perimeter, Hart checked for tracks and the Professor and Temple did something with their toys.” 

“And?”

Ryan easily interpreted the Lester look levelled at him as 'get on with it'. “Hart found signs of an incursion and set out to track the creature with Kermit and Finn. Temple declared the anomaly safe and Cutter and myself took a quick saunter to discover the time period we were dealing with.”

Lester nodded. “Continue, Captain.”

“Temple used the information to suggest possible creatures to Hart and the lads with him, warning them about what they might meet.”

“Was he correct?” 

Ryan paused at Lester's query, it wasn't what he'd expected to be asked and he had to wonder if the man was trying to distract him, to make him relax and forget what he wasn't supposed to be mentioning. “Yes, sir. Shortly afterwards Hart reported encountering a small herd of Triceratops.” He paused before adding, “Veggiesaurs, sir.”

Lester quirked an eyebrow. “I am well aware of what they are, Captain. What I want you to do is explain the actions of your team.”

_Oh shit! Did he know?_ Not that Ryan allowed any of his internal thoughts show on his face. “Yes, sir. The Triceratops had gone to ground in an area of rubble and half-fallen down walls and we were having trouble driving them back to the anomaly. They're too big and dangerous to get near to on foot and we couldn't get the vehicles in.”

“Which led Lieutenants Lyle and Owen deciding to place explosives instead?” Lester leaned forwards and Ryan felt almost pinned beneath his gaze. “Am I correct?”

Ryan swore softly when he realised Lester had known all along what had happened. Well, there was nothing for it but to brazen it out. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, sir.” 

“Oh, for the love of God,” Lester snapped out before he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Do you have any idea what your men blew up, Ryan?”

“No, sir.” Ryan had the horrible suspicion he was a) about to find out and b) whatever it was, they really shouldn't have blown it up. 

Lester closed his eyes for a moment and Ryan could swear he was counting to 20, slowly. “Do you know how much trouble your men have caused me, Ryan? I have received multiple complaints from everyone from the minister to the local archaeological society.”

Even though Ryan knew an apology wouldn't be much help, he still said, “Sorry, sir.”

“Your men will be when they spend all their free time helping to rebuild it, at least it might persuade them that explosives are not the cure for every problem.” 

Ryan knew exactly how his men would react to that news and he had no wish to be caught in the middle of it. “Sir, there was a school party due and my men acted to prevent civilian casualties. Not to mention pictures of Triceratops ending up on the internet.”

“Maybe.” Lester quirked an eyebrow. “However, I am well aware of the existence of Flash-bangs which I believe would have provided the same degree of motivation for the creatures.” 

“I'll talk to them, sir,” Ryan stated, already thinking of what to tell the lads and how to order them not to antagonise Lester any more than they already had, but first... time to convince Lester that making his men rebuild whatever it was they destroyed was not a good idea. Damn it, sometimes Ryan despaired at his men and their activities. 

“Any time, captain,” Lester murmured as he tidied his papers. 

“I will, James,” Ryan replied, noticing the way Lester's eyes darted up to meet his. “First I have to deal with the matter of your safety?”

“Oh?” Lester pushed his chair back and quirked an eyebrow at him. “Do continue.”

“Do you really think the lads will want to rebuild that ruin?” 

“No,” Lester acknowledged. “But they should have thought of that before they destroyed it. Really, Tom. I can't have my people destroying valuable archaeological sites and blaming dinosaurs for it.”

“Are you sure I can't convince you to let me deal with them instead?” Ryan asked as he manoeuvred around the desk. 

Lester tilted his head. “I'm sure you can attempt to convince me.” He pushed his chair back even further and waited for Ryan to start to drop to his knees. “But first.”

Ryan frowned, resting his hand on Lester's thigh. “James?” 

“Be a good fellow and lock the door and close the blinds first, Tom.”


End file.
